Montblanc’s bezel-activated Unveiled Timekeeper chronograph gets a new look
Based on a historical calibre from 1923, Montblanc’s Unveiled Timekeeper Minerva has rethought the way we record elapsed time: all the traditional Minerva design codes and watchmaking finishes are present, and yet there is no chronograph pushers to activate the chronograph.
Montblanc’s chronograph story began in 1858 when Charles-Yvan Robert founded a watch workshop in the Saint-Imier valley. As early as the 1880s, the Minerva Manufacture in Villeret had already gained international recognition for its precise timekeepers.
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO
Today, Montblanc continues the Minerva chronograph legacy with the Unveiled Timekeeper, transforming this much-loved complication from the past to the present through design and technical expertise.
In 1927, Minerva was among the first manufactures to make a fluted bezel as well as an internal countdown rotating bezel. This was followed in 1939 by its first wristwatch chronograph with an external rotating bezel and a reset function.
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO
This special finish is achieved by treating the stainless-steel case with a black coating. It is then manually washed and brushed with quartzite from the Mont Blanc mountain and limestone from the “V”-shaped mountain opposite the Villeret manufacture, called La Combe Grède, bringing the mountain and valley together. Thanks to this special treatment, each timepiece in this 100-piece limited edition gets its very own patina and singular appearance.
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO
The new edition also comes fitted with a grey interchangeable calf leather strap with alligator print.
The Calibre MB M13.21 is the latest version of the historical Calibre 13.20 that was launched over 100 years ago. The Calibre MB M13.21 is a hand-finished, manually wound movement with a 60-hour power reserve.
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO
How does the chronograph function works?
The new Montblanc Unveiled Timekeeper Minerva takes the fluted bezel from the 1858 Minerva Monopusher Chronograph Red Arrow and turns it into a chronograph function, marking the first time in Montblanc’s watchmaking repertoire it has been possible to activate a chronograph without having to press on a pusher.
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO
Thanks to an innovative mechanical function, the Unveiled Timekeeper Minerva chronograph is activated via its elegant 18K gold fluted bezel, which has been refined even further in this new edition, and defines all new timepieces crafted at the Manufacture in Villeret. Just rotating the bezel clockwise with one click will start the chronograph, a second click will stop it, and a third click will reset it, transforming the way a chronograph has traditionally worked. The bezel has 30 jumps/steps per whole turn, meaning that it can time 10 separate events in one complete turn.
Montblanc is one of the few watchmaking companies to have developed such a system and has filed several patent applications for it. This hidden feature respects the beauty of the historical calibre, while incorporating modern-day know-how to create a truly contemporary timepiece.
The Montblanc Unveiled Timekeeper Minerva is completed with a caseback that tells the complete story of Minerva, starting with the name of the collection and the date of birth of the Minerva Manufacture at six o’clock. On an inner ring, key dates from the Minerva chronograph story are separated by little stars from the original Minerva logo, with the Minerva arrow at 12 o’clock. These key dates include:
- 1887 – Minerva brand and arrow symbol registered on July 30th, 1887.
- 1908 – Development of the first Manufacture chronograph movement (19/9CH) for pocket watches.
- 1912 – The Minerva V-shaped chronograph bridge is patented on April 10th.
- 1920 – Development of the Manufacture chronograph Calibre 13.20 for wristwatches.
- 1927 – Production of Minerva’s first fluted bezel and internal countdown rotating bezel.
- 1929 – Development of the Manufacture chronograph Calibre 17.29 (evolution of the Calibre 19/9CH)
- 1948 – Development of the Pythagore Manufacture Calibre 48 using the Golden Section ( =
- 1.618…).
- 2003 – Development of the Manufacture chronograph Calibres MB M13.21 and MB M16.29, respectively, inspired by the historical Calibres 13.20 and 17.29.
- 2023 – Launch of the chronograph function through the bezel.
Through the caseback, more than 165 years of watchmaking novelties are documented, right up to the present day with the introduction of Montblanc Unveiled Timekeeper Minerva Limited Editions.
Their classic and elegant aesthetic holds within them fascinating chronograph novelties of watchmaking’s modern era, showing that the Montblanc chronograph story is only beginning.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Model: Montblanc 1858 The Unveiled Timekeeper Minerva Chronograph Edition
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO
Ref. Ident No. M133268
Movement
Montblanc Manufacture Calibre MB M13.21
Type of movement
Manufacture hand-finished manually wound movement
Monopusher chronograph
Chronograph Monopusher chronograph with column wheel and horizontal coupling
Dimensions
Diameter = 28.80mm ; height = 6.4mm
Number of components 239
Number of rubies 22 jewels
Power Reserve Approx. 60 hours
Balance Balance with screws, diameter = 11.4mm
Frequency 18 000 A/h (2,5Hz)
Hairspring With Philips curve
Bridges Rhodium-plated German silver with “Côtes de Genève”, circular graining on both sides, hand-chamfered edges
Going-train Gold-plated, circular grained, chamfered, diamond hubs on both sides
Displays Hour and minute from the center, small seconds at 9 o’clock
Chronograph with central seconds hand and 30-minute counter
Habillage
Case
Distress steel with satinated and polished finishing
Bezel 18K white gold unidirectional fluted bezel, satinated and polished
Crystal Scratch-resistant, domed shaped sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
Back Stainless steel caseback with special engraving paying tribute to
Minerva legacy
Dimensions
Diameter = 42.5mm; height = 13.85mm
Water Resistance Approx. 3 bar (30 m)
Crown Fluted in stainless steel with Montblanc emblem in relief
Dial
Grey dial with white luminescent rhodium-coated Arabic numerals and indexes,
tachymeter and telemeter scales; white luminescent rhodium-coated hour and minute hands;
rhodium-coated seconds hand; blue chronograph minute hand ; blue seconds hand
Wristband
Grey interchangeable calf leather strap with alligator print and a stainless steel triple-folding clasp
Certified by the Montblanc Laboratory Test
🔰 Limitation: 100 pieces
🔴Prices € 50,000 / £ 43,000 / $ 45,000 💰
=====================--------
------------------------------
Press releases - 2024
-----------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------
www.facebook.com - Montblanc
---------------------------------------------------------------
www.Montblanc.com